A staggering blow for the cynics

AT long last, the Norwegian government has announced the release of US$40M for projects to be executed under our Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and, as such, they[projects] will become a reality. However, this is a staggering blow to the so-called civil society group (which has two politicians among its members!) and their sympathizers because they had made a shameless, unpatriotic, illogical but futile effort to have the release of the Norway funds delayed for some of the most ridiculous and baseless reasons.

It would be interesting to see their response now that the visiting Norwegian Minister of Environment Mr. Erik Solheim  has refuted their spurious allegations. They should be ashamed of themselves.

It also boggles the mind how some people who are supposed to be interested in Guyana’s development and advancement could actually advocate the delay of release of funds that are exactly for that purpose.

But any intelligent person would realise that this idiotic group’s real agenda is not about corruption, transparency, deforestation, et cetera;  but rather it is a political one aimed at stalling progress with the hope that this will prevent the current administration from being returned to office.

It is a tactic similar to that used by Forbes Burnham in the 1960s with respect to the Labour Relations Bill, when he declared that it was not the reason for the war but rather the occasion for it.

However, as expected, the desperate and cynical attempt by this group to undermine progress has folded like an empty paper bag.

There was never any doubt that the money would have been released. The problem was the time it was taking for the process to fructify and Mr. Erik Solheim alluded to this during the announcement of the release of the funds at the joint press conference at State House on Thursday night.

In this regard, he said that the two countries need to find ways of speeding up the way the money is disbursed into the Guyanese economy, while at the same time having the necessary mechanisms in place when it comes to anti-corruption and environmental and social safeguards. And during his visit, he would have engaged President Bharrat Jagdeo on this issue.
So the way has been cleared for the implementation of projects under the LCDS and chief among them is the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) that will eradicate about 92 percent of the country’s energy emissions and replace it with cheaper, cleaner energy for Guyanese businesses and citizens.
The project will have a 150-megawatt capacity carrying a plant and transmission lines from the site to the city.
Also, Amerindian development which is a key component of the LCDS will now be boosted and accelerated.
“From now on, no indigenous village will be prevented from having their villages titled because of a lack of funds. Every forest village will be able to progress their Community Development Plan to create new employment and economic opportunity,” President Jagdeo said.
Whether one likes him or not, he/she will have to concede and acknowledge that the fructification of the Norwegian funds has been a result of President Jagdeo’s almost single-handed herculean effort and advocacy in the international arena. And this will be undoubtedly a major part of his legacy when this ‘Champion of the Earth’ demits office as President of Guyana.

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